Each year, hundreds of summer music festivals pull out all the stops, showcasing great works performed by stellar artists in spectacular settings. We put together a set of festival road trips, chosen for their diversity of musical experience, geography and timeline.

Mike Block is the quintessential twenty-first century musician, with a sense of creativity that cannot be contained in a box of any kind. In this interview, Block discusses his beginnings and his current artistic goals.

It’s easy to blame forces outside your control for a ticket sales slump. But why feel powerless? Try taking on a beginner’s mindset and empathizing with your patrons to learn what they expect from you beyond simply a great performance.

After judging the Guthman New Instrument Design Competition, Allan Kozinn reflects on the history and cultural expectations surrounding the contraptions we use to turn musical ideas into meaningful sound.